Home celebrates completion of 56 much needed new homes just outside Glasgow

Published by Debbie Pack for Home Group in Housing and also in Communities

An event was hosted recently to officially open 56 new homes in East Balornock, in the North East of Glasgow.

This forms the first of seven phases to completely regenerate and improve the area to ultimately provide 308 new homes by 2016.

The development is being carried out by housing association Home, one of the UK’s leading providers of affordable housing.  All work is being carried out in close partnership with Glasgow City Council, a Residents Design Group and the Balornock East Residents’ Association (BERA).

All homes are being designed by Home Architects in close consultation with the Residents Design Group and BERA to ensure all new properties cater exactly to the needs of local residents. This close attention to planning detail has resulted in eleven different house types ranging from bungalows to 2.5 storey family homes. 

All homes comply with ‘Housing for Varying Needs’ standards which means they can be easily adapted in the future if customers requirements change.

Properties have been designed to achieve an ECO Homes rating of ‘Very Good’ and are ‘Secure by Design’ accredited.

Thanks to New Supply Shared Equity (NSSE)* funding from the Scottish Government 80 new homes will be available for existing local owner occupiers who have a great opportunity to invest in a high quality, yet affordable home in a location that they are familiar with.

Stuart Dixon, Head of Development for Home in Scotland (West) says: “I am particularly proud of our latest development here in East Balornock.  The different styles of properties were all created with direct input from our customers in both the Residents Design Group and BERA. 

“I want to thank them for their hard work which has ensured all properties we create here are exactly what our residents need for a safe and comfortable home.  Our first 56 homes will make a positive impact in the community making East Balornock already a place where people will be proud to live and visit for many years to come.”

The second phase is due to start next spring to provide a further 25 units.  When complete the overall cost of all phases will be in the region of £50 million, which includes funding from Glasgow City Council as well as NSSE funding from Scottish Government.

Bailie Liz Cameron, Glasgow City Council’s Executive Member for Development and Regeneration Services, said: “These new homes are a welcome addition to the provision of housing in this part of the city. 

“The development will bring real benefits to the residents and their community.  The council is delighted to be in partnership bringing much needed new housing to the area.”

The regeneration at East Balornock is being carried out in partnership with the following: Home Group Ltd, Residents Design Group, BERA, contractors CCG Scotland Ltd, Home Architects, Quantity Surveyor Neilson Binnie Mckenzie, Engineers Scott Bennett Associates and Co-ordinator Langmuir & Hay.

Ends

More about Home’s regeneration at East Balornock

Home was chosen to regenerate Balornock East by local tenants as part of the Large Scale Voluntary Transfer (LSVT) from Scottish Homes.

New homes being provided replace the old style ‘Orlits’ homes that no longer met current building standards.  These are being demolished and new homes created over a series of phases.  This ensures residents can remain in their old home and move in when their new home is built.

A separate project is also underway lead by the local Balornock East Residents Association (BERA) to provide new retail outlets and a purpose built community facility which has recently been granted lottery funding.

About NSSE

NSSE allows home owners to use the proceeds from the sale of their existing property to Home Scotland to purchase an equity share of a new build home also being built by Home Scotland.  After two years the owner has the opportunity to increase their equity share in the property to 100%. NSSE differs from shared ownership as residents do not pay rent on the remaining equity share they do not own. 

There are different types of NSSE to suit areas that are being regenerated as well as the open market.

Home in Scotland

Home Scotland currently owns and manages 3,000 properties - mainly covering the Edinburgh, Rosyth, Glasgow, Dundee and Dumfries areas – and is planning to expand further over the next couple of years.  542 of these homes are in Glasgow.

 About Home Group

The group, which has a turnover in excess of £283m, manages 55,000 affordable homes and 520 care and support services offering specialist housing and support to vulnerable and/or socially excluded people.

We are proud of our heritage and our people.  Established in 1935 in response to the deprivations faced in the North East during the Depression we have continued to adapt to changing economic conditions.  We were the first housing association to raise private finance and one of the first to recognise the difference that affordable housing can make to rural communities.  We were a key player in the early development of neighbourhood management, supporting whole communities and have been leaders in care and support since 1976.

We strive to bring neighbourhoods to life, shaping them into great places to live and work.  Customers are at the heart of everything we do and are actively involved in deciding what we do and how we do it – at both a strategic and a community level.  Our ultimate aim is that by working together with our customers, clients and partners we are able to offer improved quality, better value, increased choice, opening doors to better lives.

More than 4,500 people work at Home Group, supporting over 220,000 people across England and Scotland. 

Home Group trading names: Home Scotland, Home Central, Home North West, Home North East, Home South, Stonham, LiveSmart@Home